2011.11.30

AGENDA

1. Book club/literature circles ** shared information and ideas for starting -- books are in the first three cabinets in ren's room ** 2. SW trip -- any updates ** we all made our connections and gina put together a preliminary schedule which may have to be tweaked ** 3. Grade coordinator minutes/information ** see below we discussed ** 4. Holiday gifts for students - do teachers here give gifts to students before break, and if so, ideas for what kind of gift. --Kelley** no **

Grade Coordinator Meeting Agenda Monday, November 28, 2011 3:30 - 5:00
 * Location: Strauss Conference Room **

2.Uniform Checks || Discuss || # Change in handbook for 2012-13 Jan 4 (See Dit Dit) || Informational || Understanding role of classroom visits || Carolyn & Kathy || 4:20 ||
 * **Topic** || **Format** || **Desired Outcome** || **Responsible person(s)** || **Time** ||
 * 1.Student Birthdays --out of uniform
 * 1) Be vigilant || Carolyn || 3:30 ||
 * Testing & curriculum adjustment (see below) || Discussion || What do we do with the testing at each grade level || Kathy & Carolyn || 3:40 ||
 * Grandparents/Special Friends Day || Discussion || Recap of this year & suggestions for next || All || 3:55 ||
 * Student Conference Goal setting form || Discussion || Suggestions for report card committee & Purpose and calling dates of Jan. Parent calls || Report card members present || 4:00 ||
 * Curriculum updates for Judy || Questions? || Update || Carolyn || 4:10 ||
 * Look Aheads begin
 * Holiday get together or a chili night in Feb. ||  ||   || All || 4:30 ||
 * Who is doing Dr. Martin Luther King Day? || Informational || Update for the assembly || Grade level || 4:40 ||

Dit Dit **
 * Grades 1-4---Holiday Sing on Dec. 8. Grade level teacher rep. needs to be here at 6:00 p.m. to help Marlene
 * Clarification of safety situation: Children should not be going to special classes by themselves. Teachers must stay with the children until the special teacher is ready to take the class.
 * **Grade level testing: What assessments? Are they consistent across all grade level classrooms? Do grade level teachers discuss the results as they pertain to the whole class? What action is taken as a result of the testing/results? How are these reported to parents?
 * Look Aheads: Need a grade level teacher from the receiving grade level.
 * Jan. 4PK to JK
 * Jan. 5JK to SK
 * Jan. 10---SK to First
 * Jan. 12---First to Second
 * Jan. 17—Second to Third
 * Jan. 19---Third to Fourth

Grade Coordinator's Meeting November 28th, 2011 Jen Keppler, Carol Hardwick, Bonnie McMinn, Patti Ptak, Katie Meinholz, Ryan Murray, Renice Konik, Judy Clegg, Carolyn Lengh, Kathy Choren
 * Birthdays for next year: The kids who have a birthday can be out of uniform. Kids who have summer birthdays can celebrate when/if they bring in a treat. We will look into getting buttons that for each class that says "Today is my birthday".
 * Testing/Curriculum adjustment: Review grade level assessments,what kind of assessment (multiple choice, narrative, etc.) how consistent it is across grade levels.discussed and how they are used across the grade level. This will provide information for the report card committee.
 * Feedback on GPSF Days: PK: Great day, PK had grandparents come at 8:30 rather than 8:00 and everything worked better. JK: great, a "love fest", simple activities that created a nice atmosphere.Both PK and JK classes did the same activities in each room SK: Went well, some kids without parents/grandparents were matched with those who came--soem songs and poems and different activities in each room. Grade 1: Patti, reported the she had 5 without a special friend which was just "OK". Two hours is a long time for engaging kids, etc. The team all does separate things.There were three games on the IPad that worked well. Grade 2: 3 or the 4 classes were on explorations which worked out well, three of the 4 did a reading activity. Grade 3: A math activitiy took up 45 minutes. Grade 4: Ren had few kids, the kids without grandparents were fine. Fourth grade shares activities that each are doing for ideas.

Monday, October 24, 2011
 * Many questions about the Day from parents: Can kid under 16 come? Must we come if they don't have anyone to come? Some mixed messages were recieved from teachers to parents about whether or not children should come. The length of the morning was questioned. Is three hours too long?
 * Student goal setting (forms) feedback: Ren, noted that because the conferences were back to back she wrote notes on a separate tablet as she couldn't write fast enough(to write on the forms). She redid her notes and then transferred them to the conference form. The action plan was on the back so many teachers didn't see it. Suggestion: **A digital copy of the form would be helpful. More parents had read the report cards this time than ever before.** Having an agenda for the conference: "This is the way our conference will progress--and having goal setting at the end " was helpful for some teachers.
 * Special teachers and conferences: Parents need to know where special teachers are located. Perhaps putting an easal out in the Tower Center to direct parents to the area. Having a note placed under everyone's conference schedule (outside everyone's room) would help. The Ells Room did not end up being a good spot---very little privacy. How about putting Bob in the primary kitchen, Marlene in Ellen'sroom, global language in the Ells room, and Jane and Mike in the PE offices.
 * Look Aheads occur right after winter break. Check the calendar for your class date. Let Sherry know know if it is someone other than the grade level coordinator presenting. She will coordinate a sub for the 45 minute time (8:15AM to 9:00AM)
 * Chili night or holiday party? Chili night seems to be the choice. Chile/soup night at Ren's. Bring your own Bowl. Party goers can be out of uniform. Time: 4:30 to 7:30. Tentative day February 8th. We will have a sign up in the Strauss room. No team meeting that day.
 * Martin Luther King assembly: January 16th Third grade is responsible.

3:30 - 5:00